The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
This invention relates to undersea devices to neutralize mines. More particularly, this invention provides an undersea vehicle deployed and controlled from a remote platform and relying on optical and sonar systems to locate and identify ordnance for destruction by onboard explosives.
Currently, there exists no effective mine neutralization capability in contemporary navies that allows for remote neutralization of mines at a safe standoff distance of several nautical miles for the crew of the launching platform. There is no capability for navigation, imaging, and identifying areas and mines underwater by a remotely deployed and operated unmanned deep diving submersible using a visible light source and camera system and on board sonar to effectively place and detonate an explosive charge to neutralize mines at significant depths.
Thus, in accordance with this inventive concept, a need has been recognized in the state of the art for a submersible guided to a mine from a remote control platform and using visible light and sonar to locate and identify the mine and destroy it.
The present invention provides a method of and apparatus for neutralizing mines underwater. The underwater weapon includes an by elongate housing containing a warhead section and having a spool of optical fiber disposed aft to deploy optical fiber from the housing during transit through water from a launch platform. Motor-driven propellers disposed aft on the housing and outside of the optical fiber provide propulsion through the water, and fins disposed aft on the housing, a vertical thruster, and the motor driven propellers are controlled by signals transmitted through the optical fiber and ambient water. The control signals are fed to an electronics section and a guidance and control section to steer the underwater weapon well below the surface of the water to a submerged mine. A source of visible light and an optical camera system and a sonar system forward on the housing provide for optical and acoustic detection, imaging, and identification of a submerged mine. Preprogrammed and/or remote control signals direct the undersea weapon to the mine and an onboard explosive charge is detonated to destroy the mine.
An object of the invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for neutralizing mines capable of being remotely guided and navigated underwater from a remote launch platform.
Another object of the invention is to provide method of and apparatus for neutralizing mines by detonating onboard ordnance at a safe standoff distance of several miles from a launch platform.
Another object is to provide a method of and apparatus for neutralizing mines that provides remote visual and/or acoustic inspection of a mine prior to destruction.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for neutralizing mines capable of being navigated underwater from a remote launch platform to image, detect and identify mines underwater by optical and sonar means and destroy them with onboard explosives.
Another object of the invention is to provide a method of and apparatus for neutralizing mines having a source of optical light and camera system and sonar system to locate, identify, and destroy mines under the conditions of low-light found at depths below five hundred feet in the ocean.
These and other objects of the invention will become more readily apparent from the ensuing specification when taken in conjunction with the appended claims.